A Family's Survival
by Ceridwen Fox
Summary: A family endures the horror that has engulfed the world, but press on together through this horrific time.


Terminator The Sarah Connor Chronicles fanfic

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Am also not too good with the whole time thing, so ages and all are most likely wrong. I'm syre everybody's gotten a little mixed up with the whole Terminator timeline thing. But hopefully this is an OK little read.

**A Family's Survival**

The world was dead, but moving. The sky bled fire and the ground crumbled under step. Three figures huddled under a self made shelter, barely covering them. The screeching and booming of thunder was all around them. They heard voices. Others like them, but they dared not move.

"When's Dad coming back?" one of the smaller figures asked, shivering. His mother looked down at him. His dark eyes rimmed with red from tears and stinging ash. She kissed his head and pulled him tighter to her.

"Soon now." She looked down at her other son. No more than 4 years old. He just sat quietly, staring out into the oblivion before him, his fingers absently twiddling his mothers long dark hair for comfort.

She cursed herself. Her children were traumatized and she felt she wasn't helping them. She just sat there, clutching them for dear life!

_Were is he?_ she yelled in her heard. She desparately wanted her husband to return

An HK flew overhead. All three of them took a sudden breath in and scuffled back as far as they could. A few shots and blasts where heard in the distance, adding to the audible mess that was constantly ringing in their ears.

They sat silently, hardly blinking. Then suddenly her elder son leapt out of her reach, causing her heart to jump into panic.

"Dad!" The boy ran into the arms of an older man, tall in stature. Under all the dust and grime he had a head of dark blond hair, much like his younger son. His handsome features has been burnt and scarred over the past terrifying months, and his wife often wondered if they would even recognise each other at the end of it all. If it did end that was.

The toddler now shifted from his mothers grasp and headed to the tall figure who instantly bent down to scoop up the infant. Their mother sat there. Looking at the three of them. Her family. Her boys. What had the world done to them?

The tall man shifted his son onto his hip, holding him firmly to himself with one arm, outstretching his outher to his wife. She reached up and and took his hand. He helped to pull her up and drew her into a tight caress. His deep green eyes eased her heart.

"C'mon." He said to his family. "We've found some better shelter."

Leading his family to safety, his youngest son on one hip, his wife by his, his elder son holding tightly onto her hand. He guided them through the maze of destruction that surrounded them. Climbing over mountains of rubble, squeezing through tiny holes.

At one point the mother caught her youngest son giggling something to his father, who turned and smiled at the little nipper, rewarding him with a kiss on the cheek.

This brought a smile to her face for a moment. She then looked at her elder son. All too aware of the cruel nightmare that they were in. How she wished she could take him from it. Take them all from it.

He husband led them to what at first just appeared to be another mound of wrecked cars and buildings, but when they approached a gap in the distruction, he lowered his sson to the ground and took him by the hand.

"This way, Kyle." And his son proudly took the lead.

The walked through a dimly lit corridor. It smelt damp and mouldy, but this was a comforting smelll compared to the putred stench outside. They turned a few corners, and hobbled down narrow staircases.

The light became darker, and the corridor ahead became pitch black. Kyle slowed his pace, and squeezed his father's strong hand.

"It's alright." he said, picking up his child once again. "Derek, why don't you take the lead now?" The elder boy stepped cautiosly, but confidently forward. As hey neared the end his eyes began to adapt to the dark. He could just make out the shape of an opening, and a door a little further beyond that. Then a figure emerged from the opening. Tall, strong and terrifying to the boy. He heard his mother gasp behind him.

"That you, Reese?" The shadowy figure called.

"Yes, I got my family. The others should be here soon."

"They just got back, said you were on your way." The figure stepped aside and opened the door. It was heavey and took this stong man all his mite to shift. Dim light poured into the corridor, causing Derek to sheild his eyes.

"Go on son." His father nudged him forward. As he walked passed the doorway Derek turned to face the soldier who had let them in. He was covered in grim and dirt much like everybody else, but a soothing smile krept across his face. He gave Derek a small salute as he caught the little boy's gaze, which Derek returned.

They came to another stairway. As the continued down the step they heard the door close behind them. It echoed through the chamber. Then, as they reached the bottom the the stairs they heard voices. Coughing, crying, scuffing.

There were people, other survivors. Families huddled together in corners. Some children darted about, chasing each other. And there were soldiers.

Derek looked around at this bizzare haven.

He noticed the soldiers were dressed simularly to his father. He had never thought of his father as a soldier. Mabye everybodys dad was a soldier now. Looking even more he noticed that some of the soldiers were women. Was his Mom going to become one?

One of the soldiers approuched the family. He stopped dead infront of them, raising a salute. Derek's father did so simutainiously.

"Glad to see you all got here safely." The man said, glancing over their faces.

"You too, Sir." his father responded. "This is my wife, Mary, and my sons Derek and Kyle."

"Pleased to meet you. Ma'am, you must be very proud. Your husband has done some excellent work for us here. Don't know where I'd be without him."

"Thankyou." Derek heared his mother say quietly. She smiled uneasily, taking in the new surroundings.

"I'll let you guys get some rest. There should be some spare blankets over there and a patrols gone out to find some food. They should be back shortly."

Derek wished that the man hadn't said that last part. He was so hungry he could'nt bear the thought of waiting, possibly hopelessly for some food.

His father grabbed two blankets, and sat Kyle down in a corner that had been left unoccupied. There where boxes and all sorts of interesting new junk to explore.

"Derek, come watch your brother." Derek obeyed. He sat down next to Kyle and his father covered them both with one of the blankets. "Keep him warm."

Derek put his arms around his younger sibling, who was dozing off in this welcome new warmth. Derek suddenly became tired too.

_It must be a magic blanket. _He thought _It makes people sleepy._

He watched as his father took the other blanket and put it around his mother's shouldres, pulling her in for a hug. He heard a few sobs as she bureied herself into his chest.

"Don't cry." His father said, starting to rock her. "We've gotten this far."

There was a rummbling overhead. Some dust fell about them. Kyle shifted in his sleep. Derek pulled him closer. As his eyes closed he watched his parents, wishing he could make this nightmare end.


End file.
